Because You Live
by ChangingDestiny'sDesign
Summary: He loved her but didn't dare to hope.  A year after returning to Konoha, will Itachi receive the love he longs for?  Will she see pass his past sins and love the true him that yearns for her love?  Oneshot SongFic.


**I don't own Naruto or any of the characters in this story. The song is by Jesse Mccartney. **

**Staring out at the rain with a heavy heart **

**It's the end of the world in my mind **

As he stared out the window of his apartment, Itachi knew he didn't deserve peace or the love of the woman he loved. His life had been nothing but a huge disaster. Sure, he had worked things out with Sasuke, the massacre was revealed to have been an order and he had been a spy for Konoha in the Akatsuki but in his mind, all the pain caused because of his actions and orders were unforgivable.

He had been back in Konoha for a year now, though he hardly ever left his apartment, and she had been his personal medic on orders from Tsunade. Everytime he saw her smile at something, anything really, he felt like things might be ok but then his heart would break all over again knowing that she could never be his, never love him. Never. He also didn't know how much longer he could keep his world together being around her and knowing that fact.

**Then your voice pulls me back like a wake call **

**I've been looking for the answer **

**Somewhere **

Suddenly pulled from his contemplation by a knock at his door, Itachi got up to answer the door. He know who would be on the other side. She was as reliable as clock work, as was the pain he would feel the moment she left him alone again.

"Hello Itachi! How are you today?" Sakura asked, chearful as usual.

"I am well Sakura-chan. And yourself?" Itachi asked, the weight from his earlier thoughts slightly lighter. If only there was a way to be able to greet and kiss her when she came home from work everyday. If only he could find an excuse for her to actually love someone like him. But she didn't deserve him. She didn't deserve a broken and hurt man, who only knew pain. If only there was an answer.

**I couldn't see that it was right there **

**But now I know what I didn't know**

"Better if Kakashi would show up on time for something. I swear, we stood on that bridge for three hours before he showed. The really infuriating part was he just wanted to tell us that we had no missions for the next week. So, yet another three hours of my life wasted thanks to that man. Honestly, if I didn't love him like family, I'd kill him." Sakura said exasperated.

She used to come and go, completely professional, but in the year she had been attending him, she had started to open up to him. He noticed this but figured it was just a matter of familiarity. But, it occurred to him as he was comforting her about Kakashi and she was doing his check-up and healing session, that maybe it was more. Her hand always lingered on his cheek a little longer then normal but he craved her touch so much, he figured it was his imagination.

No, maybe he did have a chance and he was going find out. As she finish his healing session, she started to move to leave. He reached out and touched her face, looking straight into her eyes, hoping for any reaction. He wasn't prepared for what he saw in her eyes though. She was looking back at him with more love and care than he could ever have hoped for.

He leaned down and gently kissed her, only to have her gently kiss back. It was then he could feel the pieces of his heart slowly start healing together.

**Because you live and breathe **

**Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help**

They broke the kiss after what felt like hours but was only seconds. He pulled her into a gentle embrace, leaning his forehead against hers.

"Why? Why do you care about some one as broke and messed up as me?" Itachi asked, feeling confusion and joy at the same time.

"Because I see the real you. Because I see the man that longs for a normal life. And yes, you are broken but with a little mending, you are still capable of great things. I believe in you and I can see how beautiful your heart truly is. But you are wrong about one thing, I don't care. At least, not just care. I love you too." Sakura told him with such blatant honesty in her eyes, it caused silent tears to start to fall down his face.

**Because you live, girl **

**My world has twice as many stars in the sky**

"I don't know who smile down on me or why and I know I don't deserve your love, but I know I can never be happier than I am right now. I love you so much and have for so long… You probably don't realize this but I have loved you since I watched everything you did to help save the Kazekage all those years ago. After that, no matter what I did, I couldn't get rid of the pain I felt in my chest. If anything, it intensified over the years. But for the first time in years, it is gone. The pain is gone. Not only that, but everything seems brighter. It feels like everything is right in the world for the first time in my life." Itachi told her with so much emotion in his voice, if anyone walked in at that moment, they wouldn't have believed it to be Itachi. Sakura, however, knew that it was him. It was the part of him that had wanted out so badly but he had been too scared to let happen.

**It's alright, I survived, I'm alive again **

**Cuz of you, made it through every storm **

In the next few weeks, Itachi became more social and open. It was hard at first. Some of the people in the village still resented him for what had happened all those years ago, not that he blamed them. There were even a few times they had confronted him, telling him exactly what they thought of him. No matter how hard things got though, so long as Sakura was by his side, he felt like he could face anything.

Things got better though. With the respect of some of the most important and respected people in the village, the villagers slow started to accept him. He had made friends with the Konoha 12 and even with some of the people he used to work with all those years ago. Kakashi often took him to lunch when Sakura couldn't make to their normally afternoon meeting. He even went out with the guys once or twice. He realized, life was good but one thing would make it better.

**What is life, what's the use if you're killing time **

**I'm so glad I found an angel **

**Someone **

When Sakura walked through the door of her apartment that night, she couldn't believe the sight in front of her. There was Itachi, in a suit, with the lights lowered. The room had candles and flowers spread through out it and she could smell dinner cooking in the kitchen.

"What on earth, Itachi?" Sakura asked, slightly confused.

"I wanted to make tonight special." He replied as he walked over to her and got down on one knee, pulling out a small box. "I know it has only been a couple months since we officially became a couple but why wait? You know me better than anyone ever has and ever will. I never thought I deserved you. I never thought you should have to put up with someone like me but for some reason, you were willing to. On top of that, you were willing to love me and slowly piece my shattered heart back together. So, Haruno Sakura, will you marry me and make me the happiest man alive?"

He could see her eyes fill will tears as she smiled widely. "Yes Itachi. Yes, I will!" She replied as she lunged at him, tackling him into a hug and knocking him backwards at the same time.

They just sat there holding each other, laughing for what seemed like ages. Itachi then leaned over and took her left hand, staring into her eyes. "You're sure now? I'm not exactly a stellar catch." He asked smiling, holding the ring teasingly over her finger.

"Of course I'm sure. As for a stellar match, I can't imagine anyone more perfect than you." Sakura replied, leaning up to kiss him. As they kissed, he slid the ring onto her finger and held her hand close to his heart.

"You're mine. All mine and I am never letting you go." Itachi said as he kissed her gently.

"And you're mine, forever and always." Sakura said with a look that displayed everything she felt at that exact moment.

**Who was there when all my hopes fell **

**I wanna fly, looking in your eyes **

Itachi knew that know matter what, she would be by his side. The world could end in his eyes but she would always be there to raise him up again. She knew his every flaw, his every weakness but didn't care. Occasionally, after certain events like his wedding or the birth of his first child, he would start to feel regret. She knew all to well it wasn't because of the event but because he wished his family could have been there. However, no matter what was wrong, she knew how to make him fly again.

**Because you live there's a reason why **

**I carry on when I lose the fight **

**I want to give what you've given me always**

He knew she was the one that had always been by his inspiration, even if he didn't know it. She was the reason he worked to fix things with Sasuke peacefully. She was the reason he decided to have his disease cured instead of letting it run it's course. She was the reason his heart was whole again, the reason he was truly happy for the first time in his life. He knew he would do what ever he had to do to make her feel as happy as she made him.

**Because you live and breathe **

**Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help **

**Because you live, girl **

**My world has twice as many stars in the sky**

He watch from the doorway, as his wife, pregnant with his daughter, rocked their son to sleep. He couldn't imagine what his life would be like without them now. Because she was willing to give him a chance, she had given him the confidence in himself he had lacked for years. Because she was willing to give him her heart, she had healed his broken soul and filled his empty world. If anyone asked him if he missed the danger and action his life had once been filled with, he would tell them he didn't because he knew he had everything he ever wanted but never dared to hope for. He had love and a light that lit his path. He had found his place in this complicated thing called life.

**Because you live and breathe **

**Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help **

**Because you live, girl **

**My world has everything I need to survive **


End file.
